Finding Home Again
by Rosel
Summary: Starts at the end of s1 beginning of s2. Neal comes to Storybrooke to help Emma break the curse and they deal with their issues.


**Disclaimer: I Don't Own OUAT**

 **A/N: I fell into a hole! Sometimes something reminds me of Swanfire and I think about Swanfire and I cry. It's been years but lately, for some reason, I started to think about Swanfire a lot and I was just ok maybe I finally need to write a fic. I went through my old fics and thought I just need to write a new fic. It starts at the end of s1 beginning of s2. I wanted to kind of explore all of the things and issues that I wished they dealt with more on the show.**

 **A/N2: In the past few months I have gotten a few alerts for Kindrend Souls of Lost Children and I have decided to finally after years continue with that so look for that. I fell in a hole!**

Neal found himself in August's room. He couldn't believe he was here but when August called him and told him that he had failed to get Emma to believe and he was dying, Neal had to come. It was one of the hardest things he ever did. The hardest was leaving Emma in the first place. He couldn't live with himself if August died because he was too much of a coward to face Emma and his father. He had to come back especially if this whole town was doomed to stay in this curse. If there was something he could do to save this town then he would do it. He went in the room and he saw August laying down in the bed mostly made of wood except for his head.

"Wow, you have looked better."

"Neal? Is that you." August said weekly.

"Yep. It's me, buddy. How are you feeling? Pretty stiff?"

"Hilarious Neal. Now is not the time. I failed. You have to finish it. It is up to you now. You have got to get her to believe."

Neal breathed out stressed.

"I'm sure that will be easy."

"Nothing worth it is ever easy."

"I'm getting that," Neal said.

Suddenly there was a pounding on the door and then he heard her voice. It was a voice he hadn't heard in such a long time. It was a voice he would never forget.

"August! Open up! Open up now! We need to talk!" She yelled her voice cracking. He wanted to know what was wrong. He wanted to help her but he panicked. It did not seem like it was the best time for a reunion. So he hid in the bathroom.

Emma opened the door.

"August! Oh, my…what…what happened to you?"

"So…you…believe…" August said through ragged breaths.

"Henry is … he ate an apple turnover…he's….in a coma…I'm not sure he is going to make it. He was trying to get me to believe. It worked."

"I'm so sorry Emma."

"You have to help me. You tried to get me to believe before. You must know how to break the curse he is under. He is my son."

Neal froze for a moment as he heard Emma utter those words.

"He is just a kid. He is only ten years old." Emma said.

Neal could not believe those words. What? Emma had a son. A son who was ten years old. He stood there in shock.

That was his son. He had a son and he was hurt.

He flung the door open revealing himself.

Emma turned around to look at him flabbergasted.

"Am I hallucinating because of stress?" Emma asked.

"No…Emma he is real…we…uh…he is a friend."

Emma blinked at August.

"You two are friends!"

"Emma. Do I have a son?" Neal asked still in shock.

"Are you kidding me? This is the time in my life when you finally show up." Emma yelled.

"I don't understand. I checked up on you several times and so has August and you never showed any signs of having a kid."

"You what? Did you check up on me? Why? To see what other cons or crimes you could put on me?" Emma asked outraged.

"I didn't set you up…I left….I thought you were better off. August told me it would be for the best. So you could come here and save everyone."

She turned to August who was turning deeper into wood.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Emma yelled.

"Emma. Tell me. Is Henry my son? Is he OK?"

She took a deep breath and said, "Yes he is your son and no he is not ok. He…he is in a coma…he could …. Die."

Tears started to overpower her.

"And I …I don't know what to do. I came here for answers. Since August tried to get me to believe all of this fairy tale crap I thought he would have them."

August slowly became wood.

"August!" Both Emma and Neal yelled at the same time.

Then he whispered faintly, " I'm sorry."

Then every inch of him was turned into wood.

Emma fell to the ground and knelt beside.

"No! August wake up!" she shouted at him.

Neal put his hand through his hair at a lost of what to do as well. He looked at his friend and could not believe it was the end. August couldn't be gone after everything.

Emma sat there crying. She looked devastated.

Neal looked down at August solemn. It was not supposed to end this way. This was not part of the plan.

Then he looked at Emma.

"Emma. There is something you can try."

Emma looked up at Neal and asked, "What?"

"You could try True Loves Kiss."

She blinked at him.

"Are you kidding me right now?"

"No. Look it is the most powerful magic there is. It could work. It can break any spell or curse."

Emma shook her head unbelieving.

"I thought you said you believed in all of this fairy tale magic crap."

"And you think that August is my One True Love."

Neal shrugged as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down.

Then he slightly tilted his head looking up at her and said, "Me and August have been keeping in touch. He…told me… you two were working together…I saw you two…a couple of weeks ago just talking. I saw the way you were looking at each other."

Emma blinked several times at that.

"You were spying on us."

"I just…I couldn't reveal myself until the curse was broken."

"Why?"

"Because I knew you would never believe me when I told you the truth about what happened, about why I left, about where I am really from."

Emma gawked at him.

"You are from there. You are from the Enchanted Forest. Who are you from there?"

He sighed, "No one famous. I'm not a famous Fairy Tale character or anything."

"Ohhhh kaaaay."

"Emma…just try it. You could save him, it might even save the whole town and save Henry."

Emma stood up and wiped her tears angry.

"I'm not going to try to kiss August OK, you Moron! I know it won't work and not because I don't believe in all of this True Love Magical Fairy Tale crap. I know it won't work because I am not in love with him. The truth is I never was ever able to truly trust anyone enough to love them because of the asshole who left me pregnant and alone in prison doing the time for his crime!" She yelled furiously and then she pushed him.

Neal's eyes widened at her.

"Emma. I didn't know. I swear….If I knew I would never have left."

"It's fine. It doesn't matter now."

"It is not fine, Emma. Nothing is fine!"

"You are right it isn't because Henry is in danger and us rehashing the past isn't going to help him."

Neal nodded his head.

"What happened to him? Exactly?"

Emma breathed out and said, "I was going to leave. I wanted him to leave with me but he wouldn't. So I was just going to go. I couldn't take it anymore. It was too much. I wanted to be his Mother and Regina I knew she was awful. I knew she did awful things but she was a good Mother to Henry. So I decided to leave."

Neal blinked, "Wait a second are you telling me that Regina…the Evil Queen…is the adopted Mother of our son."

"How do you not know this? I thought you were spying on us."

"I only did it once a couple of weeks ago. "

"Well, I don't see how anyone could have expected me to keep a baby after giving birth in jail and having literally nothing to my name. What was I supposed to do?"

" What happened to Henry?"

"When I was telling him I was leaving he saw that Regina had cooked me an Apple Turnover. I was going to eat it. It was a peace offering or a goodbye or whatever but instead…he ate it to prove to me that these Fairy Tales were true and that Regina was the Evil Queen and she was trying to kill me."

"An Apple. Like Snow White. So it is a sleeping curse."

"Yeah."

"Do you know how to save him?"

"True Loves Kiss?"

Emma looked at him long and hard and took in a deep breath then she went up to him grabbed him and wrapped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him. Neal was surprised, to say the least. He never thought Emma would kiss him like this again. He had hoped but he severely doubted it but here she was kissing him. He responded in kind. He kissed her with everything he had. It was like they were transformed into another world like there was nothing but the two of them. He held her by her hips pulled her close to him. She eventually gasped for air and looked up at him and asked, "How do we know if it would work? Are we supposed to feel something…or what?"

He looked at her bewildered for a moment and then he turned to a fully wooden August and said, "If it worked I think he wouldn't still be like that."

Emma pulled away from him disappointed.

"Well, that was for nothing then," Emma said.

He rubbed his neck and said, "Yeah."

Emma shook her head and asked, "What do we do now?"

Neal gulped, "The only thing there is to do. See the man who caused all of this to happen. If anyone knows how to fix all of this it is him."

"Who?"

"My Father, Rumplestiltskin."

"Your Father is Mr. Gold. He is …the …"

"The Dark One? Yeah. He is. He is my Father."

"The Dark One is your Father?"

"Yep."

"Did you know about who I was when we met?"

"No. If I did I would have run far away from you or with anything to do with the Land of Magic. That is why I left. You had to go on the right path a different path than me. You had to save the town that was cursed because my Father wanted to get back to me. I couldn't take you from that. I couldn't let a whole town suffer for the mistakes of my Father or because all I wanted was to just be with you without any horrible complications of magic or my father."

Emma gaped at him and asked, "Then why didn't you tell me the truth? Why not face it together?"

"I couldn't face him. He left me. He chose magic over me. He made so many people suffer so he could keep his power and have me back. All I could do was make sure you would do what you were meant to do, that you would be the Savior, that you would save the town."

"And now you want to see him?"

"No. I do not want to see him. I don't want anything to do with him. But I will because our son is hurt and he may be the only one who knows the way to save him."

Emma looked at him for a moment and said, "Let's go."

They ran to the Pond Shop as quickly as they could. They held hands pushing each other to run faster and faster. Then when they arrived Emma stormed in the Pond Shop.

"Miss Swan," Rumple said.

Then she saw Regina was there looking broken.

Emma demanded, "You need to help me save Henry. Please tell me you know how to do that."

"I do. We have to make a deal."

"No! No more deals! You are going tell us how to save Henry right now!" Neal shouted.

Rumple looked at him and his cool exterior cracked and he asked, "Who are you?"

"It is me, Papa! Henry is my son. That makes him your Grandson. So you are going to help us save him! Right now!"

Then Regina spoke, "Excuse me! You are Henry's Father."

Neal shook his head, "Yes I am and I know that you did this! I know you hurt my son!"

"It was not meant for him. I would never hurt my son."

"If you're trying to hurt other people he will always get hurt."

Then Rumple broken up said, "Bae."

"Save it! Just help us save him. How do we do that?"

"True Loves Kiss." Rumple said.

"We tried that, it didn't work," Neal said regretfully.

"I don't know anything about your relationship but the True Loves Kiss won't work until Magic Returns to StoryBrooke."

"And I'm sure you have a plan for that," Neal said bitterly.

"I do."

"Of course you do, so tell us," Neal said irritatedly angry.

Rumple seemed to be trying to let this all sink in. Neal was sure in all of his elaborate plans he didn't think Neal would show up here. It probably changed everything since he was the reason why he had all of these elaborate plans in the first place.

"I needed a way to bring Magic here so I had Prince Charming store it in a Magical Creature."

"What kind of Magical Creature?" Neal asked agitatedly.

"A dragon," Rumple said.

"A dragon!" Neal, Emma, and Regina yelled at the same time.

Then Regina's eyes widened as she seemed to be thinking about it like she was realizing something.

"Maleficent! You brought Maleficent here!" She yelled outraged.

Then Emma shook her head and asked, "How am I supposed to get this magic."

"Well Dearie, you must slay the Dragon," Rumple said like it was the obvious answer.

"No!" Regina yelled appalled and looking hurt at the prospect.

"She is my friend." Regina continued.

"Of course she is. Do you have an Evil Witch Club or something?" Emma asked getting in her face.

Regina pursed her lips like she was thinking out loud and said, "She has a daughter, I promised to help her reunite with her but I thought Maleficent got lost in the curse."

Emma still looked at Regina fiercely and Neal looked between them hearing what Regina said about Maleficent wanting to reunite with her daughter. He took Emma by her hand and looked at her Lily tattoo on her wrist he caressed it. She looked at him strangely wondering if he was trying to communicate something to her non- verbally.

Then he turned to his father and said, "There has to be some other way then killing her."

Rumple shrugged frustrated.

Then Neal pled with him, "Please, she has a daughter, who she is trying to reunite with. She is like you."

Rumple quivered at that and said, "Bae."

"Papa, please. Think there has to be another way." Neal said.

"Maybe you can get her to release the vile filled with Magic," Rumple said as he turned to Emma. He then looked around his store and took a sword that was up on display on the wall. He took it down and gave it to Emma.

She held it in her hand gazing at it mesmerized.

"It is your father's. Keep it for your protection. If you cannot get her to release it you must slay it." Rumple said.

Emma nodded her head agreeing to do just as Rumple said.

Then Neal said, "No. No offense Emma but have you ever used a sword before?"

"I haven't. I can't explain it but I feel like I would be able to." Emma said.

"Why because your father did?"

"Maybe, I don't know," Emma said.

"Trust me, Bae. She can do this." Rumple reaasured him.

He rolled his eyes at his father, "Excuse me if I have a hard time trusting anything you say."

"Then trust this. You know I would not make this elaborate plan relying on her to do it if I was not near certain that she could do this. This was part of my plan to get back to you. I would not leave that to chance." Rumple said pointedly.

"That I believe but I am not letting her face a freaking Dragon alone."

"You have no say in what I do Neal," Emma said perturbed.

"I know that is why I am going with you." He looked around the shop and found another sword. He swiped it around practicing a few moves.

Emma blinked at him and said, "You know how to sword fight."

"Yes. Don't look so surprised. Let's go."

"No. I can't let you risk not ever meeting Henry. If I let something happen to you I'm not sure Henry will ever forgive me for lying to him." Emma said with a protective glint in her eyes.

"Emma. I will be fine. I actually had experience fighting all sorts of Magical Creatures."

"Really? Oh right…of course you're from over there. Look, Neal. I don't think…"

Then suddenly Regina said, "Rumple, just tell me where Maleficent is and I will talk her down. I know how to soothe her Dragon form. You two continue with your lovers' quarrel while I save my son."

"No. We are coming with you." Neal said.

Emma huffed a little concerned but then agreed.

Then Rumple touched Neal's arm and said, "No, Bae don't go. I just got you back I can't lose you again."

"You didn't get me back in the first place but I need to do whatever I can to save my son."

"Bae," Rumple said his voice cracking.

"Please Papa if you really want to make amends then start by helping me save my son."

Rumple looked at Neal filled with emotion and said, "It is under the condemned library. Be careful Bae."

Neal nodded and took his sword they all went towards the condemned library.

Rumple lead them through the broken down library. The windows were boarded up as they went through the dusty old building. It did not look like this place was touched in years if it was ever touched at all. Neal examined the place wondering where could his Father hide the Dragon and why it was in a library.

Then they went behind a torn down wall where they saw an opening that leads to the large hole where there was a makeshift ladder.

"You hid a Dragon there," Neal said.

"I did, Bae you don't have to."

"I do, actually. I'm not afraid of the dark anymore." Neal said.

Rumple handed him a flashlight with pain stricken face.

"Be careful Bae," Rumple said.

Neal took the flashlight and pointed at the dark hole seeing how deep it went. Emma and Regina both looked down too.

Then they all started to go down there.

It took a while to finally get to the bottom. Emma landed down first. She took the flashlight from Neal looking around.

"Soooo where is this thing?" Emma asked searching anxiously.

"She is probably sleeping, otherwise we would have heard her."

Regina said like Emma had just asked a stupid question.

Neal took his sword out with a flourish swinging it around.

"Well, it is time to wake her up," Neal said.

"Hey Dragon Lady! Time to wake up!" Emma shouted.

Neal looked at Emma a little amused but then concerned at the same time.

"We should tread carefully," Neal said.

Emma pursed her lips looking around the caverns and then said, "We don't have time to tread carefully."

Then they heard a rumbling. Neal went in front of Emma blocking her protectively. Emma than shoved Neal out of her way wielding her sword.

Regina rolled her eyes and walked passed them both. Then suddenly they saw the Dragon slowly begin to emerge.

Emma's eyes widened as she gawked at the magnificent creature.

"Wow."

Then Regina cooed sounding like a bird.

Both Neal and Emma looked at Regina strangely.

Regnia shrugged her shoulders and she put her hands in front of her mouth making a strange sound.

Malificent stood up and then she breathed out the fire.

Emma and Neal both raised their swords as they ran out of the way. The Dragon went after them both.

"How much you want to bet she told her to kill us," Neal said.

"I'm not making bets with you Neal!" Emma shouted as she ducked getting away from the fire Maleficent was spouting at them.

"I'm not!" Regina yelled.

"Maleficent! Stop this. It's me. Regina! Your friend."

The Dragon squeaked loudly making a screeching noise.

Emma and Neal covered their ears. Then they both found a large boulder and hid behind it.

Regina stood up in front of the Dragon waiting for her response. The Dragon started to fly around breathing fire. Regina ran for cover behind another boulder.

"Now what?" Neal asked.

"You are asking me? How am I supposed to know what to do?" Emma asked irritated between deep breaths.

"You are the Savior."

Emma breathed out.

"What about you Mr. I defeated Several Magical Creatures. Was that all big talk?"

Neal took cautious glances as he dared to look at the dragon flying around searching for them.

"She hasn't found us yet. She might be relying heavily on her eyes. A lot of big creatures like that are nocturnal and can see in the dark."

"Great," Emma said.

Neal looked around for something to assist him. Then he found some small rocks.

"I never went against a dragon before but she seems to be similar to a Loch Ness Monster."

"A Loch Ness Monster? Really?"

"Now trying to defeat that was a bitch," Neal said.

Emma shook her head and picked up a rock too.

"I think I know where you are getting at here."

He smiled looking at her admirably and said, "You always were a fast learner."

Then he looked around.

"You stay here and I will take her from the other side," Neal said.

Neal stepped out from the cover of the boulder. The Dragon caught sight of him.

"Neal! Be careful" Emma shouted.

He ran and then leaped to get on the other side of the Dragon.

The Dragon spouted fire at them and Emma swang the sword over her head shielding herself and Neal from the fire.

Emma ran after him and took the sword ready to fight if she had to. He looked up at her in awe.

Neal ran some more getting cover behind another boulder.

Emma ran back to the boulder that she was hiding behind. Emma held onto the rock and then Neal took his rock and he said, "OK Ems on three. One, two, three."

Then they both threw the rocks hitting Maleficent's eyes.

She fell down shrieking in pain.

"Wonderful, now you made her angry," Regina said.

Both Emma and Neal took their swords out.

Regina went in front of her.

"Maleficent, hear me. My son is in trouble. I need your help. I promised to help you find your daughter. I plan on keeping that promise but I cannot do that without magic."

The Dragon still shrieked.

Regina touched her scaly skin.

"Come on! Release it! Release the Magic!" Regina yelled.

"It is not working. I have to do what I must do for Henry." Emma said as she took her sword out.

"No!" Regina yelled.

"It's Henry. He is my Son. If you really care about him you will step aside Regina." Emma said.

"Don't you dare challenge my love for my son. I will do anything for him. I will kill if I have to. I just need one more chance and then I will kill her myself."

Neal sighed and breathed out deeply.

"Maleficent if you can hear me. I need you to know that your daughter, she is out there. She survived. She needs you, she needs your help. You cannot get to her without releasing the magic."

The Dragon quivered a bit.

Then Regina closed her eyes and put her hand near her heart and she reached in and said, "Release it."

Then suddenly she came out with the vile.

Regina stared at it.

"Magic," Regina said in awe.

Then Neal looked at her wearily and said, "Hand it over Regina."

"I'm not handing this over to you," Regina said.

"We don't have time for this Regina. Henry needs us."

Regina reluctantly handed it over to Neal.

Emma sighed in relief.

Then they all came out of the cavern to Rumple.

"Bae!" He said with relief he came to hug him but Neal shrugged and said," Tell us what we need to do."

"I need to release the Magic at the Well."

"I'm coming with you."

"I'll go see Henry," Emma said.

"Me too," Regina said.

Regina and Emma both sped to the hospital. They both anxiously ran to Henry's side.

"Your boyfriend better come through or so help me..." Regina threatened.

"He's not my boyfriend and he will come through."

"You trust him?" She asked skeptically.

"With this I do. He was willing to risk his life for Henry before even meeting him. He will come through." Emma said.

"He better!" Regina said sternly.

Emma just sat there and held onto Henry's hand.

Neal followed his father back to the Pond Shop to pick up some supplies before they released Magic into Story Brooke. He couldn't believe he was actually helping his father bring Magic to the one place where it was supposed to be free of Magic. His son was in trouble so he had to. His son. He had a son. This was a lot to take. He had to do whatever he could to save his son. He didn't want to even think about what it would be like to find out he had a son and lose him before he would ever meet him. When they arrived at the Pond Shop his father stood still completely shocked. There sat a girl with disheveled brown hair looking lost and afraid.

"Are you Mr. Gold?" She asked him.

"Belle?" He said completely shocked and overtaken by emotions.

"A man told me that you would keep me safe." Neal gawked between his father and this confused girl.

"Belle...I...thought...you were dead?"

"I...I don't...remember...much of anything."

"Belle. Where have you been?"

"In a dark cold room in seclusion. I was all alone."

Neal looked at this woman. She looked at his Father as if he was someone she could trust. That was not an everyday occurrence for his father he was sure of that.

Neal looked at this confused girl and sincerely said, "I am sorry for what you went through."

Then he turned to his Father, "Papa we have to go and do this. Henry is waiting."

She looked at him and gave him a small smile and then turned back to his Father with pleading eyes. His Father seems to snap out of the daze he has been in.

"Of course, Belle. Whoever told you that you can trust me to keep you safe. They were right. I can and will. Right now my son needs me. Come with us and you will be safe." He said as he offered her his hand.

She looked at it for a moment and took it. Neal looked at them holding hands. The sight gave him a slight twinge in the stomach. His Father seemed to have found someone to love. He didn't know how he felt about it. He didn't have time to dwell. He had to save his son.

Neal followed his father to the Well. He tried to look away from them holding hands. He was not going to focus or dwell on that. He had to concentrate on saving his son. He just found out about him. He didn't know anything about him. He didn't know what kind of things he liked or what he was like. All he knew about him was that he was raised by Regina-the Evil Queen. That right there was something he never wanted for his kid. He didn't want his kid to go through what he went through as kid having to deal with an Evil parent. He remembered one time sitting on top of the yellow bug gazing at the stars with Emma. They talked about life and a hypothetical future where they had kids. She asked him what was the one thing that he wanted for his hypothetical kids. He told her the biggest thing he wanted for their kids was for them to have a better childhood then they did. He wanted them to feel loved and feel safe and to know what it was like that they could always count on their parents to be there. That one thing was impossible now, his son already knew what was like to have parent who had caused so much suffering. All he could do now was hope that Emma could break the curse and they could start at giving Henry a childhood that would be better than theirs. They stopped in front of the Well. August had mentioned something about the Wellbeing important. Neal had held onto the vile with the Magic. He didn't trust his father with Magic. He didn't trust his father at all. He did know his Father would see this through. It was part of his grand master plan so he could have him and all of the Magic and power that he wanted. He gave the vile to his Father. He took it and put it in a special cloth and put it in the bucket in the Well. He lowered it down. Neal helped him pull on the rope to lower it to make it go faster. Then suddenly they heard it reach the bottom hitting the water. They felt a jolt and suddenly a purple smoke came bursting out of the Well. Belle gawked at it confused and bewildered like she never saw anything like that before.

Then Neal said, "That's my cue."

He wiped out his phone and called Emma.

"Emma it is done. Magic is now in Story Brooke."

Emma put her phone away. "It is done."

Emma said as she looked at Henry. She thought about everything she had been through this past year with Henry. She thought about how much it hurt with the thought of losing him. Then she kissed him on the forehead and suddenly they were jolted with a strong blast of energy. Emma felt it flow through her. She looked at Henry his eyes started to open. She cried out overwhelmed with joy and relief. Regina went to his side.

"Henry."

"Mom." He said a little confused and disoriented.

He looked at both of them confused. Then it looked like he was remembering what happened.

Then he said angrily, "You did this! You poisoned the Apple Turn Over."

"No Henry. I would never hurt you. It wasn't meant for you."

"It was meant for my Mom! You poisoned her like you poisoned Snow White my Grandmother. Like you cursed the whole town because your the Evil Queen! And my Mom broke the curse!" Regina looked at him appalled and hurt.

"Henry...I...I love you...I was protecting you. I just didn't want to lose you." Regina pleaded.

"The only one you were protecting was yourself."

"Henry," Emma said trying to get him to calm down.

"I thought you broke the curse. I thought you believed." Henry said in a panic.

"I did and I do but..."

"Then I was right and you are the hero and she is the villain." Regina looked down at him tears soaking her cheeks.

She was about to say something but then didn't.

Then Emma said, "I know who she is now but she helped us save you."

Henry looked up at Regina and then he looked away and didn't say anything to her. Regina gave him one last saddened look and then she left.

Then Henry turned to her and said, "So you did it. You broke the curse."

"I guess I did."

Neal felt a jolt of energy go through him. It looked like his Father and Belle felt it too. Belle's whole facial expressions changed.

She turned to his Father and said, "Rumplestiltskin!"

She ran towards him filled with emotion. "Belle." He said.

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. Neal looked away. He didn't want to see this. His Father found someone to love him while he was the Dark One. He had spent many of a lonely night telling himself all of the horrible things his Father did was because he was the Dark One. He told himself his Father wasn't capable of love or keeping promises to his loved ones because he was the Dark One. Here he was in love with someone he must have fallen for as the Dark One. It hurt. They parted. Rumple smiled as he caressed her face.

He then turned to Neal and he said, "Belle I would like you to meet my son Baelfire."

She smiled enthusiastically and said, "It is so good to meet you Baelfire." She extended her hand out for him to shake. He looked at her hand for a long moment. She waited with a warm smile. Then Neal said, "I have to get going to see my son."

"Oh," Belle said.

Rumple then said, "Bae."

Then Neal yelled, "It is not Bae! My name is Neal Cassidy! Baelfire died a long time ago. After he was left alone and afraid and went through hell."

Rumple walked closer to him. "I'm sorry I left you son. As soon as I did I have done everything I could to get back to you."

"Yeah, like making this curse and destroying so many people's lives so you can have me back. It looked like it worked, I'm here, you brought Magic back, and it looks like you got a girl. Looks like you got your Happily Ever After and all it took was for everyone else to suffer."

"Everything that I did I did for you."

"No you did it for you. I have to go."

Neal went to the hospital trying not think about what happened with his Father. He wiped the tears out of his eyes roughly. He saw Emma come out of the room. She saw him and went up to him.

"How is he? Is he OK?" Neal asked concerned.

"He's going to be OK. I broke the curse."

"I knew you would."

"Look Neal, we need to talk."

"I know we have a lot to talk about but can I please just meet our son first."

"That's what I want to talk to you about."

He reluctantly followed her to a secluded spot behind the vending machine.

"Look, a lot has happened in a short amount of time. I just started to believe in all of this Fairytale crap. I have all of this stuff to deal with ...with my parents...with you. I don't think I can deal with Henry finding out I lied to him on top of that."

"Emma...I know I messed up but please ... he is my son. I need to meet him."

"That's not what I am asking you to do."

"Then what are you asking me exactly?"

"Just give me a couple of days to deal before I tell him your his father."

"Emma..."

"You can still meet him just don't tell him your his father yet."

"What am I supposed to tell him?"

"The truth. Or part of the truth. Tell him that you are Baelfire and you came here to help break the curse."

"Emma. I haven't been Baelfire in a long time." Neal said with pain-stricken eyes.

"Henry would love to meet him though. He knows about your story. It's in the book. He thinks you're a hero."

"Me? Really?" Neal asked generally surprised.

"Yes. Please. Just give me a couple of days."

He looked at her for a while.

"Fine but just for a couple of days. I want to be a part of his life."

"Thank you."

Then they went in the hospital room. Henry was sitting up looking at his book. Neal saw he was on the page showing the Evil Queen. That pulled at his heart.

He looked up at Emma and asked, "Who is this?"

"Henry I want you to meet Baelfire. He came here to help me break the curse."

Henry's eyes widened at him and said, "You are thee Baelfire! Your Rumplestilskin's son!"

"Yeah but I prefer to be called Neal though."

"Oh. OK Neal. So how are you even here? According to the book you should be like hundreds of years old."

Neal shrugged shoving his hands in his pockets and said, "I was stuck in Neverland for about two hundred years."

"Wow. Like with Peter Pan and the Lost Boys."

"Yeah, something like that."

"That is so cool!"

He shrugged and said, "I'm sure you probably figured out by now things aren't like the Disney Movies."

"Yeah." He said looking down at the book that showed the Evil Queen.

"But the stuff about the heroes saving the day and happily ever after is true. Right?" Henry asked him.

Neal looked at him not quite sure what to say. Then he turned to Emma for some kind of help and saw her just looking at both of them intently absent mindly pulling on her swan necklace. He gulped as he watched hold on to it. That was definitely the keychain that he gave to her all of those years ago.

Then he turned back to Henry and said, "I never quite seen a happy ending myself but I have always had hoped for it. That is what helped me get through the dark times."

He glanced back at Emma she bit her lip and then let go of her swan necklace. "That is what my Mom did she brought hope back to everyone by breaking the curse and giving everyone their happy endings."

"I guess she did, kid."

"That's what my Mom calls me." Henry pointed out.

"Oh really. You have a pretty cool Mom." Neal said.

"I do. She saved everyone just like I said she would." Henry said.

"Yes, I did and you are never going to do anything like that again. Right, kid." Emma said.

"Right," Henry said as he smiled at her.

Then he turned back to Neal and asked him, "Did you really defeat a Dragon with my Mom?"

"It was a team effort. Emma was pretty bad ass with the sword. If it wasn't for her I would be filleted."

"Wow!"

Then Emma shrugged and said, "Well, Neal's expertise with Magical Creatures helped."

"Really?" Henry asked excited.

"It's nothing," Neal said.

"I wouldn't call defeating Lockness Monster nothing."

"You defeated a Lockness Monster!" Henry said thrilled.

"Yeah, but ..."

"You tell him the story. I have to go see Mary Margaret and David."

Emma said. Neal asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you two talk tell him all about your crazy adventures. I'm sure he'd love it." Emma said to Neal.

Then Neal looked at Emma and said, "I'll see you soon and we'll talk later."

"Yep," Emma said while not looking him in the eyes.

Then she turned to Henry and said, "I'll be back soon. OK."

"OK, Mom. Love you."

Emma smiled at him and said, "Love you too."

Neal watched her leave wistfully and then he turned to Henry and swiped his hands together dramatically and said, "So Lockness Monsters let tell you all about them."


End file.
